DZIQ: Senate no doubts with Roxas as Aquino’s Rasputin

MANILA, Philippines – The Senate have no doubts in President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino’s decision to appoint Liberal Party President Mar Roxas, as his Chief of Staff, or de facto “Little President”, a senator told Radyo Inquirer Thursday.

“We should concede to the president when he forms his cabinet,” said Senator Franklin Drilon, Senate Chairman of the committee on public order and illegal drugs.

A mild controversy has been brewing over the last few days following developments in which a slew of defeated party members of the Liberal Party, notably Senator Roxas, seem poised to be appointed as key members in President Aquino’s cabinet. Observers note that these party members will ostensibly replace officials who have shown varying degrees of difficulty adjusting to the chief executive’s style of management over the past year.

Early in the week, the Liberal Party held a fellowship night which political observers had described as a virtual “Losers’ Ball,” with a pack of defeated party members in attendance.

The party was held Tuesday night, the eve of the lifting of the ban on the appointment to office of candidates who lost in the 2010 elections. The guests feasted on lechon (roast pig) for dinner, according to a congressman and Liberal Party member who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to speak about the event.

“I haven’t seen Balay that full since the 2010 campaign season. The place was packed, especially with losing LP bets,” the source said Wednesday.

Balay is the Liberal Party headquarters in Cubao, Quezon City. It is owned by Senator Roxas, who lost the vice presidency to Jejomar Binay in an extremely narrow election last year.

Roxas’ election protest against Binay is still pending at the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

But Drilon said the position of the Chief of Staff should rest to anyone who Aquino trusted, adding that its job definition will be according to what the president says.

“No one said that Roxas was incapable of the position. We don’t question the appointment,” Drilon said in Filipino.

He said the appointment would not need the approval from the Senate citing that traditionally, they allow the president to form his Cabinet.

Although the Senate has no worries in the appointment, Drilon said Aquino would still be held accountable if his appointee failed to follow the government policies.

Guests at the LP fellowship party included Liwayway Vinzons-Chato (who lost in Camarines Norte), Rene Villa (who lost in Iloilo), Edmund Reyes (who lost in Marinduque), and Neric Acosta, a defeated senatorial candidate, were among the defeated party members seen at the fellowship night.

Roxas is expected to be appointed as President Aquino’s chief of staff. Acosta is being rumored a cinch for the environment portfolio, while Villa is being pushed by party members as the new Ombudsman, to succeed the resigned Merceditas Gutierrez.

Other bigwigs at the event, apart from Mr. Aquino, were Senator Drilon himself, political adviser Ronaldo Llamas, Senator Francis Pangilinan, Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala and Budget Secretary Florencio Abad Jr., the source said.

Ready and willing

Roxas was quoted by the Inquirer Wednesday that he is “ready and willing” to take on the job of chief of staff, but noted that it would be more prudent to wait for Malacañang to announce his appointment.

“It’s not for me to say,” he said, adding in Filipino: “I’m ready to help when and where the President assigns me.”

Roxas said that at the fellowship night, he and Mr. Aquino only got to talk about party matters, including the legislative agenda of Congress before it adjourns in the first week of June.

The President announced in Jakarta last week that Roxas would “in effect” serve as his chief of staff.

Even earlier, Roxas, as Mr. Aquino’s chief troubleshooter, had been performing a variety of tasks, including flying to Taiwan two months ago to smooth ruffled feathers over Manila’s deportation of a number of Taiwanese to mainland China.

Also in Jakarta, Mr. Aquino said he was “happy” with his Cabinet as it was. “Why should there be a revamp? Who will I change?” he said.

He did say that there were two Cabinet members still in acting capacity—a reference to Environment Secretary Ramon Paje and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo—but added that he was not inclined to let them go.

No changes

Meanwhile, Malacañang reiterated Thursday Mr. Aquino’s statement that there would be no changes in the Cabinet.

But that’s with the exception of Roxas who, according to Mr. Aquino’s spokesperson Edwin Lacierda, is “definitely” coming on board.

Lacierda said an administrative order was now being prepared by the Presidential Management Staff that would spell out Roxas’ duties.

Both Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang and Mr. Aquino’s deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte told reporters that “prospective appointees” should await the Palace announcement.

“I think it would be easier if people just wait for the President to make the announcement rather than talk publicly about certain things,” Carandang told reporters.

Valte said talk that some losers in the last elections would now be appointed was “speculation” at this time.

“Let me go back to the fact that the President said that he is happy with his Cabinet, and that almost all of those positions that are existent are now filled,” Valte said. Carissa Caraig